The Kurdish army in the north of Iraq has taken control of the strategically important city of Kirkuk, as Iraqi government forces fled the advancing ISIS fighters.

ISIS seem to be largely avoiding confrontation with the peshmerga and are heading towards the Iraqi capital Baghdad and Shia cities in the south, with only sporadic clashes reported on the outskirts of Kirkuk. The city, just outside the region currently controlled by the Kurdistan government, has long been claimed by Kurds, after Saddam Hussain’s programme of Arabisation saw the demographics of the region change.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary vote, called by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to declare emergency powers, was delayed after MPs failed to turn up.

US President Barack Obama has told reporters that all options to support the Iraqi govermment against ISIS, including military action, are open.

One of two Palestinian teenagers killed during a protest last month, was killed by live ammunition, the post-mortem has shown according to The Guardian.

Around half a million people have been forced to flee Mosul, Iraq's second city after a takeover by the armed group Islaming State of Iraq and Levant (ISIS).

Iraqi soldiers were among those fleeing, mainly to Kurdistan.

The Sunni-stronghold of Tikrit has been captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), a day after Iraq’s second largest city Mosul was captured.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will visit London for a summit with Prime Minister David Cameron next week.

Cameron's official spokesperson said that the agenda for the meeting will include a wide range of bilateral issues, including human rights, trade, investment, commercial opportunities, energy and cultural ties.

A row over human rights stopped talks between the countries in April this year, after a FCO document criticised records on rights issues.

Chancellor George Osborne said last week that Britain wanted to "part of the action" in increased global trade with China.

"China is a fantastically important part of the world economy. Britain's challenge was we weren't doing enough business in China."

A prominent Egyptian activist, blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah was arrested, with two others, while waiting for their trial outside a court in Cairo.

According to Mr Abd El Fattah's sister Mona Seif, also an activist, the three men were denied entry to the court and sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison.

Fighters of the armed group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) have taken control of Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq.

The militants overran a military base and freed over a thousand prisoners, mostly Al Qaeda and ISIS operatives.

“Nine terrorist hideouts were destroyed by early morning military air strikes near the Pakistan-Afghan border,” the military said in a statement.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will step up investigation and prosecution of sexual violence, including offences that may have been previously overlooked, stated a policy paper by the court's Chief Prosecutor.

Published last week, Fatou Bensouda noted in her paper,